Fit in DC Fitness Blog

Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Hot Mama Fitness Studio has started a team to walk in the March of Dimes March for Babies.

Our team has joined thousands of compassionate teams across the country that support March for Babies. Won′t you please help us in this worthy cause? Join us in the walk that helps all moms and babies.

The money we raise for March for Babies will help:

...support all-important research offering preventions and solutions for babies born too soon or with birth defects

...educate women on things they can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby

...provide comfort and information to families with a newborn in intensive care

...push for newborn screening and health insurance for all pregnant women and children.

Please click on the icon on the side of this blog or go to the link below to join our team or donate to our team. We will be having fun fundraisers at The Studio to raise money for the March.

So I am almost two weeks into my Zone-esque diet and I am already down two pounds. I have just been controlling portions, eating healthier and cutting out the ton of carbs that I used to eat. I don't eat nearly as much bread. My carbs are coming mostly from fruits and vegetables. So far so good!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

I was rushing to leave the house this morning so I had a smaller than normal breakfast. Instead of 3/4 cups of oatmeal, I had 1/2 a cup. Instead of 3 strips of turkey bacon, I had 2. I did not feel right all day.

This is proof that you really need to make time to have a proper breakfast. Especially, if you are going to work out first thing in the morning. :)

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Over the holidays, I decided that I wanted to decrease inches in my midsection. I mentioned this to some of the trainers at the gym, and they suggested that I do the Zone Diet.

I am not a diet person, but I figured that I would give it a shot.

So one of my trainer friends got me started.

On New Years Eve 2008, I weighed 144.5 and I had a body fat percentage of 20.2. Using this information (and the fact that my activity level includes intense training), he determined that how many grams of protein I should have per day, which is then broken down into "blocks". (I needed 12 blocks, which is equivalent to 86 grams of protein per day.) This information was also used to determine how many grams of carbs and fats I should have per day.

It was determined that I should have 5 meals/snacks per day and how many grams of carbs, protien and fats I should have at each meal/snack.

The Zone Diet website has meal plans and recipes to help you stick to the Zone Diet. There are good recipes and meals, including chefs salad, shrimp salad with fruit, smoothies, etc. All of which have a proper balance of protiens, carbs and fat.

So, I sat down the other day to plan out my meals, so I could begin my journey on the Zone Diet. (Did I mention I don't believe in diets? This is why.) I got such a headache just from trying to figure out how to convert the meal plans and recipes on the Zone Diet website into my own personal block prescriptions, that I actually got a headache. So, right then and there, I made a decision.

I decided not to do the zone diet. It is way too difficult to measure all of my food. Instead, I am just going to practice better portion control. I am going to eat way less carbs. My old diet consisted almost entirely of carbs: peanut butter sandiches, rice and beans, turkey sandwiches....In just the two days since I have changed my eating habits, I have noticed that a salad with a little deli style turkey, cheese and garbanzo beans can actually fill me up just as much as a bowl of soup. And it is better for me.

I have included turkey bacon or sausage with my oatmeal in the mornings, and now my breakfast lasts much longer into the day.

This is what I found out before I could even get started (something that I believed already. Now I have proof.): DIETS DON'T WORK.

But I am thinking a lot more about what I eat and how much I eat. And when I eat. Lifestyle change is still the key.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Holiday parties will follow soon after. There is no need to wait until January 2 to start working on your health and fitness goals. Let's get a head start on those goals with a calorie burning circuit that you can do at home or at the gym. You just need 20 to thirty minutes to complete the circuit.

This workout can be modified so that anyone can do it, regardless of your fitness level. I would suggest doing this circuit 2-4 times per week.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Last week I tried something new. I took a budokon class at Tranquil Space Yoga in DC. I had heard about this for at least a year now, and I have been meaning to try it out. When my friend Ewunike of Lotus Fitness had to leave town for a week, she let me go to class in her place. I figured, "Hey, it's free. Why not?" I am always looking to try something new anyway.

So you are probably wondering, what is budokon? It is a blend between martial arts and yoga. For a more elaborate definition, check out their website. It is quite honestly something that I find hard to put into words.

Budokon takes a lot of upper body strength, which was not a real problem for me. What was a real problem for me was the "choreography" of it. I seemed to be going in the wrong direction most of the time. It does not help that I no longer can differentiate right from left. :0 So I guess it was also a serious workout for my brain. Also, I was attending the final class in a series of four and it seemed like they were building upon what was taught in the other three classes. And I have absolutely zero martial arts background.

I must admit that I don't really know what the purpose of budokon is. Other than that it looks really cool. But you should try it out to see what you think. There are always workshops in town. Mimi, our instructor holds workshops in other locations in DC. Try it out and let me know what you think!

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About Me

Vionna Jones began her love of fitness twelve years ago when she moved to the Washington DC area. She found herself with a desk job and a much more sedentary life than she led during her years attending The Pennsylvania State University. She started taking step aerobics classes and was immediately hooked! Many years later, in 2004 she became an AFAA-Certified Group Fitness Instructor and an ACE-Certified Personal Trainer. Vionna works with all populations, but especially enjoys working with expectant moms and new moms one on one and in a group fitness setting. As the owner of Fit in DC and The Hot Mama Fitness Studio, Vionna strives to help others to live healthier, happier lives.